Lighting for Video: Light Stands

If you’re shooting with lights on set, make sure they’re equipped with the right light support. Check out this video to learn about the different types of light stands, including which is best for your production needs.

In our ongoing series on Lighting for Video we’re taking a look at the different types of professional film/video lights, and their subsequent accessories. In this video, we examine the different types of light stands and make considerations for which to use in different video/film productions situations.

The most common light stand is the C-stand, known for it’s 3 legs of varied heights. The height variation in the legs allows you to nest C-Stands very close to one another, without sacrificing stability. Their heavy, sturdy form makes them ideal for supporting large lighting instruments (a must have on any big film set).

Unlike C-stands, lightweight light stands are much more portable and inexpensive. They’re great for one man band shooters and small crews, but can’t handle heavy weight loads. Other types of light stands include, boom stands, short stands and uni stands. In this video tutorial we touch on each.

Light stands can also be useful for supporting not just lights, but also audio equipment (booms), flags/gels and other filmmaking equipment.

Be sure to check out all the videos in our Lighting for Video tutorial series!